00:00For the Year 7s of Gilmore College in Kwinana, cricket is already a big hit.
00:10While the team might be working on their spin, they're already seeing great results.
00:15I find that, unlike a crab, I'm mainly in my cell, but cricket is helping me come out
00:21of my cell pretty much.
00:23The outreach program Team Connect has been spreading the love of cricket to schools in
00:27disadvantaged areas since 2018.
00:33Young girls are nominated by teachers to participate, training once a week and playing games against
00:39other local teams.
00:40We find that in those areas, as we all know, there are a lot of families that don't have
00:44access to all of the opportunities in the community that might be available to kids
00:48in other communities.
00:51The program is volunteer run, relying solely on grants and donations, but organisers want
00:56to expand.
00:57For the teachers involved, it's also providing a gateway for more trust.
01:03At the moment it's just what's happening with cricket or whatever, but I'm hoping that that
01:09will then come to be, this is what's happening, can you help me?
01:14Each player receives some new kit, with transport to and from games also included, helping with
01:20the barriers for some in accessing team sport.
01:23The program uses cricket because it's a uniquely social sport, everybody bowls, bats and fields,
01:29but it's found the time spent waiting on the sidelines is the most valuable.
01:33We all know that kids thrive when they feel like they belong.
01:38We see kids' school attendance improve because they've actually developed really good friendships
01:41and they've developed a really positive connection, not only to school, but to the local community.
01:46I think it was more the community, obviously, also the game, because I met a lot of the
01:51other teams, girls, and now we're pretty good friends out of school.
01:58On target for a brighter future.
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